In the Break Down
by obi's girl
Summary: After the first violent confrontation with Rumpelstiltskin, Hook seeks refuge at at the sheriff station.


Title: in the break down

AUTHOR: obisgirl  
Rating: pg-13  
Characters: Killian/Emma

Summary: After the first violent confrontation with Rumpelstiltskin, Hook seeks refuge at at the sheriff station.

Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.

A/N: Once Upon a Time 2x11 Post-"The Outsider" AU.

It's very late when Emma receives the call that a mysterious figure has broken into the sheriff's station. Emma grumbles, changes and makes her way over wondering, who would actually take the time to break into the sheriff's station at this late hour?

She gets her answer as she walks through the halls and finds him – the last person she expects to see looking furiously for something. Emma reaches for her gun and quietly, removes it from its holster, pointing it at him.

"You don't really need that love," he says, not looking at her as he continues searching. "if I had come here for some violence, I would have brought some bondage with me,"

Emma still doesn't put down the gun, staring blankly at him and Hook sighs, looking up at her. That's when she notices them: the bloodied lip, cut above his eyebrow and bruises along his neck. Emma puts away the gun and walks over, looking him over more closely.

"This is one hell of a beating Hook," she comments, gently cupping his chin, examining his war wounds. "How do I know you didn't do this to yourself to garner some sympathy?"

He scowls at that accusation but doesn't move away from her. "Because the bruises are from a cane, love and this isn't a trick," he says, "I was looking for medical care, figured you might have some,"

"If you wanted medical attention and you do need it, you should have gone to the hospital Hook," Emma reasons, "but doing that probably would have exposed you a lot sooner than you would have liked." She opens the drawer closest to him and removes some antiseptic alcohol and some gauze. Hook watches her pour some alcohol on it and then lightly dab on his face wounds.

Hook jumps slightly at the feel of burning alcohol on his skin but sits still otherwise as Emma continues cleaning him.

After a moment's silence, she studies his other wounds and him in general. "So, you feel any better now?" she asks suddenly "Your whole revenge thing against Rumpelstiltskin? Did it help?"

"It didn't go as planned, like most things never do," he reasons, "but that doesn't mean I'll stop trying,"

She smirks a little. "I expect as much," she muses, "but it looks like you got off easy this time, next time; you may not Hook,"

Hook doesn't say anything and she dabs at the blood beneath his nose. "Next time, I'll be ready," he reasons. Emma shakes her head, cleaning off the last of blood.

"Was it worth it coming here for your revenge? Because I'll tell you a secret, good always wins," Emma muses.

"You really believe that?"

Emma starts putting away some supplies, cleaning up the rest of the mess he created. "I didn't at first – probably should have – but I broke Regina's curse, so yeah, good always wins," she says and looks at him again, more cleaned up than before.

"Thank you for your help," he says.

"I have an ice pack in the freezer," Emma mentions, "you're going to have to take that off,"

He looks down at his shirt and he glances back at her, smirking. "If you want to seduce me, Swan, you don't have to ask me to disrobe,"

"Just remove your shirt smart ass," she retorts, walking over to the mini refrigerator and removing a small ice pack. When she turns around, Hook's shirtless and it takes her aback a moment but she quickly regains her composure, walks over and places the ice pack on his shoulder. "Hold it here,"

He reaches over and holds it in place, staring at her.

"You must have really loved her to go through all this, exact your vengeance against Rumpelstiltskin," she muses and he looks at her curiously. "Milah, I mean – or is your vengeance even about her anymore?"

"He killed her," he seethes.

Emma looks at him seriously. "But that's not the whole story, is it Hook?" she questions, "I know he's a bastard but I don't think he would go out of his way to kill the woman you love without a reason,"

"It's story time, is it?" he teases, smirking but frowns when she's not smiling. "If you mean, did I deserve to lose her? I don't think so but you're right, there is more to the story,"

"Let's hear it then," she says earnestly.

"Once upon a time," he starts, "I met a lass while on shore leave, had a few drinks with her and then her husband comes into the bar, a weak old man going on about responsibilities..."

"You stole Rumpelstiltskin's wife?" Emma puts together, "No wonder why he hates you,"

He sighs, looking at her. "Can I go on with my story then?" he asks and Emma shrugs, lifting the ice pack and shifting it to his shoulder. "She was giving him a hard time about how much of a coward he is and then her boy suddenly appears,"

"Wait a minute, a son?" Emma questions. "Gold never mentioned anything about a son,"

"Surprise," Hook exclaims, "A week passes, shore leave is done, somehow Milah hears that we're leaving and she runs over to my ship, begging me to let her come with me,"

"And you let her. So you two sail off together into the sunset, leaving behind Rumpelstiltskin to take care of a small boy who needs his mother," Emma reasons, "You're a true prince charming, Hook,"

He glares at her. "I'm not done with my story," he bites back, "A few years pass and we come back to the same port, the same tavern and he's there. He confronts me later but when he does, he's a different man than the whining, cowardly man I remember,"

"The Dark One,"

"Right," Hook confirms, "and he asked me about Milah and I lied, saying that she died years ago and he proceeds to challenge me to a duel. Rumpelstiltskin lets me go for the night and I return to my ship and back to her,"

"What did you tell her about her husband?"

He shrugs. "I told her selective details of our encounter but I warned her to stay away tomorrow since I told him that she was dead. But as usual, she doesn't listen to me and she shows up in the middle of the duel as Rumpelstiltskin has his hand in my chest,"

Hook watches Emma suddenly tense and the color drain from her cheeks. "Emma? Is something wrong lass?" he ventures.

She shakes her head. "Nothing's wrong," she lies, trying to hide her face but Hook knows better.

He gently reaches over and touches her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"I've seen it before," she admits, "The first time was here actually, in this office. I knew someone, he was a good man but he was under Regina's thrall, literally. She had his heart and the moment, he defied her, she found it and crushed it. Coroner's report came back as a heart attack. Henry believed it was because of the curse,"

"You didn't believe him?"

"I didn't believe in the curse at the time," Emma remembers, smiling solemnly, "I hadn't thought about Graham in a long time, haven't even talked about him with anyone since his death,"

Hook sighs. "I'm sorry for your loss, Emma," he sympathizes and is suddenly more curious about this Graham fellow and who he was to her.

"Go on with your story," she says quickly as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I'm curious," Hook adds, "about this Graham. Why did it bother you so much that he was with Regina? I mean, I know she has issues – all evil people do but why – did you have feelings for him?"

She shrugs. "I might have, I think I did; could have loved him even. I think I sat in a daze in my room for hours after he died, trying to make sense of what happened," Emma remembers, looking at him

"But you weren't in love with him?"

Emma doesn't say and she wipes away a tear.

Hook clears his throat and Emma looks at him, the sad broken look in her eyes is enough to make his heart melt.

"and the second time?" he asks.

"The second time?"

"When you witnessed the heart pulling," he confirms.

She smirks at him briefly, the only light that breaks the sadness in her eyes. "You were unconscious, back in your world during the fight with Cora. She aimed to take Mary Margaret's heart and I stepped in between. Cora tried so hard to take it but she couldn't and then something really weird happened but that's not important,"

He stares at her for a moment and continues his story.

"I was helpless to stop him from taking her heart," he remembers, "bound to a mast,"

She laughs despite herself.

"I am tied up, a lot, yes," he recalls, "Somehow I was able free myself and caught her before she fell onto the deck, held her in my arms. She looked up at me, cried that she loved me and he crushed her heart. I vowed my vengeance, tried to kill him with a hook, and he took my hand,"

"No crocodile?" Emma asks and he stares at her. "I'm sorry about what you went through Hook but vengeance isn't the answer. But it sounds to me, that your vengeance has become less about her and more about your wounded pride and your lost hand,"

"You didn't exact revenge against Regina for killing your Graham?"

Emma looks at him. "Vengeance isn't my thing and Regina's paid for hurting all the people in this town," she reasons. "There are lot less violent ways to enact justice,"

"I loved her and she loved me, we spent years sailing together and those were the happiest of our lives. And he killed her. There's only one way to lessen the pain of loosing her and that's killing him,"

"And if you keep on failing?" she counters, "Hook, you need to be realistic here. You're in this way over your head. You think you have an advantage but all the cards are stacked against you and killing him won't bring her back, or your hand,"

"Maybe," he reasons, "but it's something I need to do, for me because I wasn't able to save her from him,"

Emma sighs. "You'll lose, you know that," she cautions.

"A good villain has to keep trying until he learns his lesson,"

"People like you never learn their lesson, Hook. I know trying to convince you to give this up isn't going to work but at least consider this," she teases, bracing his shoulders.

He looks down at where her arms are and then back at her. "And what is that?" he wonders.

"The next time you get a beat down," Emma whispers, leaning into him, "It would be better to check yourself into the hospital than look for supplies at the sheriff's office,"

"I'm trying to keep a low profile, coming here seemed a safer bet than arousing suspicion about my presence," he manages. "Is that all?"

Emma backs away suddenly and gestures that he put his shirt back on. "Unless there's anything else I should know about, that's it," she offers.

"You're letting me go?" he questions, "I just confessed that I attacked Gold and you're letting me go?"

She shrugs again. "For now, until the next time. You're obviously not going to give up this vengeance thing but

next time, I'm locking you up in that cell over there for disturbing the peace and I won't even bother to treat your war wounds," she says.

Hook finishes putting his shirt back on and walks over to her. "You're sparing me," he observes.

"It's called compassion, Hook," Emma reasons, "You might want to try it sometime,"

"I know someone who's either being very compassionate or angry that something else didn't happen," he teases.

"Something happened here, love. We connected over shared experiences; we bonded Emma,"

She sighs, crossing her arms and looking away from him. "All I did was get you to tell your story Hook and we didn't bond. I'm giving you a free pass, don't make me regret it," she retorts. "You said it yourself: you're not done with Rumpelstiltskin so I'm letting you continue what you're doing, for now,"

"Why? To teach me a lesson, Swan?"

"Sometimes all it takes is the right person, in the right place to change someone," she reasons.

"You think you can change me, Emma?" he counters, staring into her eyes. "I've spent years in Neverland trying to find a way to get my vengeance against Rumpelstiltskin and now that I'm here, I won't stop until he bleeds for what he did. I'm a lost cause, darling,"

"Everyone needs a hobby," she mutters, "but I don't think that you're lost, Hook. You just haven't found your way yet – and everyone can change, even you,"

He looks at her dumbfounded, amazed that this woman could have such blind faith in him after everything that he's done and will do. Hook leans in closer to her and Emma's eyes flutter, staring back at him before backing away herself.

"We're done here," she says, "Please leave before I change my mind,"

Hook sighs, straightens his shirt and starts walking out of the station but stops suddenly, turning back to her.

Emma looks at him tentatively.

"What?"

"It's not over,"

"I don't expect it to be," she reasons, "but I'm not giving up on you, Hook, not yet,"

He smiles at her. "That's actually somewhat of a comfort coming from you, that someone still believes in me,"

he muses, "Thank you Emma,"

"You're welcome Killian." she says.

He stares at her a moment before turning around, walking out of the station, vanishing once again into the night.

The End


End file.
